Dear Sir:
I read with interest the article “Feds launch review about project approval process” by Shannon Lough in the Dec. 21, 2016 issue of The Terrace Standard. I wanted to correct a couple of inaccurate statements provided by Ms. Jill Weitz, Manager of Salmon Beyond Borders (SBB), an Alaskan-based environmental organization.
In the article Ms. Weitz is quoted saying that for projects which have transboundary implications, the environmental assessments need to be completed by the Federal government and not the B.C. provincial government. Secondly Ms. Weitz suggests that currently Alaskans “have no direct stake or seat at the table.”
As a representative of one of the transboundary mine projects, I wish to clarify that mining projects in British Columbia are environmentally assessed by both the federal and provincial governments.
In the example of Seabridge Gold’s KSM project, it underwent a joint harmonized environmental assessment process administrated under the British Colombia Environmental Assessment Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (1992).
This occurred between March 2008 and December 2014 and concluded with receipt of environmental approvals from both the federal and provincial government respectively.
During this review, Alaskans, including State and United States regulators, tribes, and citizens were communicated with in over 85 separate interactions.
As a result of these meetings, the views of Alaskans were taken into consideration during the environmental assessment approval process.
An indication of the input received from Alaskans during the environmental assessment review was highlighted by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency in their scientific report which the Canadian Minister of the Environment relied upon to make her decision. That report stated, “the agency has concluded that no significant adverse impacts on water quality, water quantity, fish, or human health are expected on the Alaskan side of the Unuk River.”
Moving forward and two years after the conclusion of the environmental assessment process, Seabridge continues to ensure that Alaskans are kept informed of developments associated with KSM, through regular updates to our community website and our willingness to provide community updates. This was evidenced by participation in the Prince of Wales Mining Symposium held in Craig Alaska in May 2016.
We also have ongoing interaction with the State of Alaska regulators.
Additionally, the project when it is constructed and operational, will be subject to extensive regulations administrated by both the provincial and federal governments respectively, including the BC Ministries of Mines and the Environment, the BC Environmental Assessment Office, Federal Environment and Climate Change Canada, Transport Canada, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
For Seabridge Gold, protection of the environment in both Canada and in the United States is a guiding principle behind the design of the KSM Project.
R. Brent Murphy, M.Sc., P.Geol
Vice President, Environmental Affairs, Seabridge Gold, Toronto.